European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday March a 1939 the stars and stripes Page 23 the steroid mess Ini a picture lifted from television. Ben Johnson holds two bottles prior to his fateful 100-Melm filial in Seoul. Johnson s coach suspects sabotage in Seoul games Toronto a sprinter Ben Johnson beat drug tests for eight years and the one time he did the May have been done in by a Saboteur coach Charlie Francis told a Canadian inquiry. ". In unemotional even toned , Francis said Johnson was not prescribed the drug that c0f,l him an olympic Gold medal last fall. Prances 40, Lold a silent bearing room that his prize Pupil took steroids a month before the games. Bui he said it would make no sense to take the Slano Solol that turned up in Johnson s urine Sample after he won the 100-Mqter race. The drug stiffened Johnson s Muscles when in was last prescribed in Early 1987, he said it would not be something anyone would Lake deliberately said Francis. "1 began o suspect in was administered to him in some Way thai he did t know about thai i did t know about and thai or. Jamie am Pahari did t know  the roomful of lawyers reporters and spans officials sat transfixed As Francis described How Johnson told Canadian officials in Seoul that a dark skinned american six feet tall and 160 pounds sat next to. Him while he drank liquids at the testing Center the drink was on the floor and this Guy was beside the drink said Francis adding Many unauthorized people frequented inc facility. The coach whose expression barely changed throughout his first.17 hours of sworn testimony., said an rom i officer and Johnson s Canadian physiotherapist corroborated the Story and saw the unidentified Man talk to . Rival Carl Lewis Ben said i knew Here was something wrong with that Guy. He had no purpose to be there " Francis,40\ has repeatedly said Johnson knew whal he was taking since 1981, when the coach first Intro Ducco his Star sprinter to steroids. Johnson 27, has denied he knowingly took illegal  Staphan has denied he administered steroids neither has appeared before the judicial inquiry. Francis told he inquiry tuesday that to swing for steroids at track meets is no Likely to catch cheaters. He said that Johnson and other Canadian athletes used steroids 20 to 50 Days before a meet so evidence of their use had disappeared from their bodies when Postrach tests Ore done. The coach testified that Johnson and four others sprinters Ducsai Williams and Angel la Issajenko hurdler Mark Mckoy and Long jumper Tracy Smith were on drug programs Between last aug. 24 and sent. 2, about three weeks before Seoul. He said the programs which Staphan designed and administered included banned steroids and growth hormone plus diuretics Flushing agents used to beat drug test the coach said he gave Johnson a steroid injection last aug. 24, after that he said inc sprinter was Pri Marily responsible for maintaining his drug program which did not include Stoni Kvool olympic officials at Seoul rejected the sabotage de sense citing indications of Long term steroid use. Lewis coach wants Mark erased by Bud Shaw Cox news service Carl Lewis s coach wants the 100-meter world record set by Canada s Ben Johnson erased or at least branded with Ari asterisk denotes steroid use. The record May be set so Low thai nobody will Ever gel it Tom to a said in an  Day of Johnson s 9,83-Sccond Lime at the 1987 world championships in Rome. In s Noi fair. In s not fair to inc athletes of the future la s impossible to gel thai record now and it la be impossible to break in the near future if Doit re  to do away Wilh drugs in rack and Field do away Wilh the record set on drugs " Charlie Francis Johnson s coach testified last week in Toronto that Johnson has used steroids since 1981. Francis detailed a syst malic steroid program that Johnson utilized in preparing for the world championships where he shattered Ameri can Cavin Smith s world record of 9.93 the International Amateur athletic federation 1aafthe governing body for track and Field said last week it could not go Back in Lime to expunge Johnson s record even if he admitted steroid use in the weeks before the world championships. An Isaaf spokesman reiterated the stance Mon Day saying the federation cannot take retroactive action based on verbal evidence. After Johnson tested positive in Seoul. Lewis was awarded he Gold medal in a private ceremony. Lewis had spin cd 100 meters in 9.92, inc fastest Ever by an american. Tillez believes the 9.92 should be remembered As the fastest 100 meters. Ever  muscle into his prose by Tony Kormi Eiser the Washington Posl do you swear to Tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but thei Ruth a ,. Do you take anabolic steroids yes. " since when have you been taking them since 1981. My writing coach gave them Tome. Why Jin s pretty Clear that steroids arc Worth approx commentary Malelya one full paragraph at the highest Levels of column writ ing and my coach Laid me i could set up my word processor at the same table with All the others or i could Start one paragraph behind them. And you took your coach to be implying that the world class columnists look steroids. Absolutely. Red Smith look steroids. You did t know that no  yes  Jimmy Cannon and Dick Youn they re dead so 1 can say that they can t sue me libel. Most live columnists Lake them. I inn i Nan a. Names but i la give you a hint the columnist who Wor he pulitzer prize last year he lakes steroids. Of. Sure. You think he Ever wrote thai Well before-tin.1. Steroids helped him Wilh his adverbs. Before steroids. He could t use the word incorrigible in a Senie Niv. Salman Rushdie takes steroids too. I m naming him because i m not scared of a lawsuit. You think he s going to show up in open court to take me on you look steroids to improve your writing my writing my stamina and to lengthen my career. With athletes the legs go first with columnists it s the fingertips from All thai  arc performance enhancing they develop the Muscles in he lips of your fingers and did the steroids help tremendously. I brought a Chart to show you comparisons of my work before and after i started using steroids. You la notice How much Marc facile i became Wilh Complex sentences hyperbole and gerunds especially gerunds after using steroids. Your coach gave you steroids yes. But in t he the same conch who steadfastly denied you look steroids yes the same. You be got to Admire his consistency. He denied i took them when won the Washington Baltimore newspaper Guild award. He denied i took them when i win the associated press sports editors award. And he denied Klook them when 1 won the Page one award even though by then it was obvious i was on steroids.  All the  my punctuation was aggressive my verbs were honed my syn tax was Crisp. And i had no desire for sex. That s a drawback but you have to sacrifice for your Art. And you continued taking them like Candy. Poured them Over ice Cream. Sprinkled them into gatorade. Do you remember when the re mors first started and i steadfastly denied i Ever look steroids i said if i took them in was unknowingly someone Musl have spiked my Sarsaparilla Wilh Ihm yes that Day i took 93of them. You lied sure did l everybody but what about inc Side cite cts of steroids you mean Tike maybe 1 could die Forse arturs yeah Well death s bad i guess. Dui in could t be worse than finishing fourth in the Best sports stories contest you realize that by telling us All his that you won t be Able to compete in the writers olympics hat you la be barred for the next four years yes. And that kills me because i la be past my prime by the Lime the next olympics comes along. I la have lost some Speed off my similes and i won t be Able to make the transition torn oxymoron \0 Subtle irony. It s a Young Man s game column zing. In conclusion is there anything you d like to say to he columnists of America. Just win baby